Louis wagner



NTTE STATES PATENT OFFICEO LOUIS WAGNER, BIULHEIM ON-THE-RHINE, GERMANY.

MANUFACTURE OF FRICTION-MATCHES.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 251,391, dated December 27, 1881.

Application filed October 18, 1880. (Specimens-l Patented in France August 23, 1879, in Belgium August 28. 1879, in Germany Septomber 4, 1879, in Italy Septcmberlfi, l879, .in Sweden October 4, 1870, in England October 27, 1879, in Austria-Hungary December 23, 1879, in Luxemburg December 30, 1879, and in Canada-May 14, 1881.

To all whom it may concern Re itjknown that 1, Lotus WAGNER, a citizen of Germany, residing at Miiiheim on-the- Rhine, in the German Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Friction-Matches, (for which I have obtained patents in the following counsuch as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has for its object improvements in themanufacture of matches, whereby the use of phosphorus is entirely dispensed with, and far greater safety and economy of manufacture are obtained than by the present method, while the match will readily ignite on any surface, yet not so easily as to incur any risk of casual or spontaneous combustion.

No noxious effluvia or gases are generated by this improved process, which may be carried outvwithout alteration of existing plant, at the same time that artificial drying-chambers may be dispensed with, as the material employed dries quickly in any ordinary temperature, thus enabling the matches to no man uiactured,packed,and delivered in afew hours. Another great advantage is that any kind of wood may be used for match splints.

The improved material employed in this process consists of the following ingredients used in the following proportions, viz: Cologne glue,one and one-third part; gelatine, one and one-third part-5 dextrine, one and one-third part; chlorate of potash, sixteen parts; hyposulphite of lead, thirty-four parts; crude or gray sul ph uretof antimony, six parts; puce-colored oxide of lead, (peroxide ot'lead,) five parts; pulverized charcoal, five parts; pulverized glass, ten parts; saltpeter, four parts; sulphur, one part; water, thirty parts. Great care must be taken in the preparation and blending of these various ingredients, as the ultimate success .of the manufacture greatly depends upon this being properly done.

The hyposulphite of lead plays an important part in the invention, as it has to be manufactured from hyposulphite of soda and nitrate of lead instead of, as ordinarily, from cheap sugar of lead, thus preventing the match from ignit ing, as the acetate remaining is incombustible. I therefore prepare such hyposnlphite oflead in the following manner: I take any suitable vessel and place therein four parts of nitrate of lead dissolved in from twelve to twenty parts hot rain-water. Ithen take another vesschand place. therein three parts of hyposulphite of soda, and dissolve it in from nine to sixteen parts hot rain-water. This latter solution is then, while being well stirred, added to the first solution, which results in the fOI'lIltb tion of a precipitate, which I carefully remove, and add fresh rain-water thereto. This latter operation I repeat at least four times, taking care to well stir it each time, in order to separate the impurities therefrom. Sd'ch precipitate is then gently pressed and dried, but not by too high a temperature, after which it is either pulverized or used in the soft, pulpy state for'covering the matches. I prefer to use it in the soft state, as when thus the ingredients are much more finely. divided, and it adheres more tightly to the wood, imparting thereto a metallic appearance. The quantity of hyposulphite of lead obtained is precisely the same as that of the nitrate of lead consumed in this process. The peroxide of lead-defined more specifically by the term f pucc-colored leadcontained in my improved preparation is likewise better andchea-per than that purchased his manufactured state, The oxide of lead has to be treated with nitric acid, which pro-.

duoes a, solution of nitrate of lead, while the peroxide of lead forms a heavy brown precipitate,which', after being thoroughly washed with water, is either dried and pulverized oradded in the soft state to the first preparation.

The preparation of the entire composition with which the matches are covered is as follows: The glue is soaked in water six or eight hours, and the gelatine for aboutcne half an too hour. They are then mixed with the gum-dextrine and boiled. When this solution has been .thereto and allowed to remain until entirely 5 dissolved. After this the hyposulphite of lead is added while in a still damp state, and thoroughly mixed therewith bysti-rring, after which the remaining substances are added, and the mixture is completed. Such mixture should :0 be of a thick, sirupy consistency. It is then passed through a mill and ground in a similar manner as colors are ground, after which, while in a luke-warm state, the match-splints are dipped therein.

15 Matches so manufactured are entirely free from sulphur and light on any substance.

The process of producing hyposulphite of lead herein described will form the subjectmatter of a separate application for patent.

20 {am aware of the British Patent No. 2,236,

granted to Schell on the 15th day of September, 1860, for a match composition containing no phosphorus, and having several of the ingre'dients used in my composition.

Having thus particularly described the na- 25 ture of said invention, I claim as new- I A match composition consisting of hyposul: phite of lead, peroxide of lead ,'chlorate of potash, crude or gray sulphide of antimony, pulverized charcoal, pulverized glass, saltpeter, o sulphur, dextrine, suitable gelatinous binding substances, and water, in about the proportions specified.

- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS WAGNER.

Witnesses:

CASPAR Lora, PETER DORWEILER. 

